Hand and foot exercising device



y 7, 1968 A. P. GULLAND 3,381,958

HAND AND FOOT EXERCISING DEVICE Filed Oct. 8, 1965 H 44 ll 1 II ll 7 421; .a4

--12 3o 32 3 I Z $3 %r. m FIG.1 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

ARNOLD I GUI-LAND FZIZZr I W 4.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,381,958 HAND AND FOOT EXERCISING DEVICEArnold P. Gulland, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Ray WeldingCo. Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Oct. 8, 1965, Ser. No.494,033 14 Claims. (Cl. 272-79) This invention relates to an exercisingdevice.

In particular this invention relates to an exercising device wn-ich isadapted to provide co-ordinated leg and arm exercises.

Various types of exercising devices such as bicycle and rowing devicesare well known and both of these devices are commonly used in gymnasiumsand private recreation rooms and they provide a form of exercise whichcan be carried out indoors. The general need for an improvement in thephysical fitness of our present society is well known and this can bestbe achieved by providing a variety of devices designed to providevarious exercising movements.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercising devicewhich coordinates the leg and arm movements to simulate a climbingaction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an exercising devicewhich is provided with handles and foot pedals which are adapted to moverelative to one another to provide the exercising motion.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an exercisingdevice as previously described wherein the force required to completethe exercising movement is adjustable.

With these and other objects in view the invention generally comprisesan exercising device comprising a vertically extending tubular framemember having at least two reciprocating support members adapted toreciprocate therein. Connecting means is provided to extend between thetwo reciprocating support means and to interconnect them such thatmovement of one of the support members relative to the frame membercauses movement of the other of the support members. A handle and a footpedal is carried by each of the support members and extend horizontallyoutwardly from opposite sides of the frame member.

The invention will be more clearly understood after reference to thefollowing detailed specification read in conjunction with the drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view of the exercising device according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE1.

With reference to FIGURE 1 the reference numeral re'fers generally to anexercising device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The device comprises a vertically extending frame member 12 which isrigidly carried by a base member 14. The base member 14 is of suflicientarea to enable the device to be stable when supporting the weight of aman.

The vertically extending tubular frame member 12 is preferably made fromsteel and is in the form of a hollow rectangular tube having a frontwall 16, back wall 18 and opposed side walls 20 and 22. A top plate 24is provided to close the upper end of the rectangular tubular framemember 12.

Reciprocating support members and 32 are adapted to fit within the innerchamber 25 of the frame member 12 in a close fitting slidingrelationship. The support 3,381,958 Patented May 7, 1968 "ice members 30and 32 take up equal portions of the charm ber 25 and are arranged suchthat the member 30 is located adjacent the front wall 16 and the member32 is located adjacent the back wall 18 of the support frame 12.

With reference to FIGURE 1 it will. be seen that the side wall 22 isformed with two longitudinally extending slots 34 and 36 which provideaccess to the inner support members 30 and 32. The slot 34 is formedtoward the upper end of the frame 12 and adjacent the front Wall 16 andthe slot 36 is formed toward the lower end of the frame 12 and adjacentthe back face 18. The ar rangemen't of these slots is such that the slot34 opens into the chamber 24 to expose the support member 30 and theslot 36 exposes the support member 32. Similar slots 38 and 40 areformed in the opposite side wall 20, the slot 38 being formed toward theupper end of the frame and adjacent the back wall 18 and the slot 40being formed toward the lower end of the frame and adjacent the frontwall 16. The slot 38 provides access to the support member 32 and theslot 40 provides access to the support member 30.

Handles 42 and 44 are rigidly connected to the support members 30 and 32respectively and are free to slide within the slots 38 and 34respectively. Foot pedals 46 and 48 are rigidly connected to the supportmembers 30 and 32 respectively and are free to slide within the grooves40 and 36 respectively. From the aforegoing it will be seen that thesupport member 30 carries the foot pedal 46 and the handle 44 and thesupport member 32 carries the foot pedal 48 and the handle 42,consequently when the support member 30 is moved both the handle 44 andthe foot pedal 46 will be moved simultaneously and similarly when thesupport member 32 is moved both the handle 42 and the foot pedal 48 willbe moved simultaneously.

The support member 3%) is connected to the support member 32 by means ofa link chain 50 which passes over a sprocket 52. With reference toFIGURE 5 it will be seen that the sprocket 52 is rotatably carried bythe shaft 54 which is rigidly secured to the frame. The force requiredto rotate the sprocket 52 is adjustably controlled by means of theadjustment handle 56 and spring 58.

When in use the operator is supported with one foot on each pedal andone hand on each handle. When the handles and foot pedals are arrangedas shown in FIG- 'URE l, a downward force applied to the foot pedal 46and to the handle 44 causes the foot pedal 46 and handle 44 to movedownwardly. As both the foot pedal 46 and the handle 44 are rigidlyconnected to the support member 30 then the support member 30 movesdownwardly and 'as the support member 30 is connected to the supportmember 32 by means of the chain 50 downward movement of the supportmember 30 causes upward movement of the support member 32. Upwardmovement of the support member 32 in turn causes upward movement of thefoot pedal 48 and the handle 42. The extent of downward movement of thesupport members 30 and 32 is preferably determined by the point at whichthe lower end of the support member makes contact with the base 14. Fromthe aforegoing it will be apparent that when the left foot is movingdownwardly the right hand is moving downwardly and the left hand andright foot are moving upwardly. The operation of the device simulatesthe action of climbing and provides an excellent form of exercise.

The amount of force required to cause relative movement between the twosupport members is adjustable by means of the adjustment handle 56 andadjustment spring 58.

Various modifications and additions to the present invention will beapparent to those skilled in the art. It will be apparent thatalternative types of tension applying devices may be employed toregulate the force required to cause relative movement between thesupport members. It will also be apparent that the present device may beprovided with a counting mechanism which will record the number ofcycles of the exercising device carried out by an operator.

In a further modification of the present invention four vertical supportmembers may be employed, one for each 'handle and one for each footpedal. Suitable connecting means can easily be arranged to provide therequired combination between the leg movements and the arm movements.

1 claim:

1. An exercising device comprising, a vertically extending frame member,at least two reciprocating support members slidably carried by saidframe member, connecting means adapted to extend between and connectsaid two reciprocating support members such that movement of one of saidsupport members relative to said frame member causes movement of theother of said support members, a handle and a foot pedal carried by eachof said support members, the handle and foot pedal for each particularsupport member extending horizontally outwardly from opposite sides ofsaid frame member such that one foot pedal and one handle slide in adirection opposite to the other when said support members slide relativeto one another.

2. An exercising device comprising, a vertically extending tubularframe, two reciprocating support members slidably located within saidtubular member and adapted to slide relative to one another, connectingmeans adapted to extend between and connect said reciprocating supportmeans such that movement of one of said support members relative to saidframe member causes movement of the other of said support members, twovertically extending handle slots formed in said frame member adjacentthe upper end thereof, said slots being arranged on opposite sides ofsaid frame member, two vertically extending foot pedal slots formed insaid frame member adjacent the lower end thereof, said slots beingarranged on opposite sides of said frame member, a handle extendingthrough each of said handle slots and connected to each of said supportmembers, a foot pedal extending through each of said foot pedal slotsand connected to each of said support members, said foot pedals and saidhandles being arranged such that one foot pedal and one handle slide ina direction opposite to the other when said support members sliderelative to one another.

3. An exercising device comprising, a vertically extending tubularframe, a first reciprocating support member and a second reciprocatingsupport member, said support members being slidably located within saidtubular frame, connecting means adapted to extend between and connectsaid reciprocating support means such that movement of one of saidsupport members relative to said frame causes movement of the other ofsaid support members, a first vertically extending handle slot formed ina first side of said tubular frame and communicating with said firstreciprocating support member, and a second vertically extending handleslot formed in a second side of said tubular frame and communicatingwith said second reciprocating member, said first side of said tubularframe being substantially opposite said second side, a first verticallyextending foot pedal slot formed in said first side of said tubularframe and communicating with said second reciprocating support memberand a second vertically extending foot pedal slot formed in said secondside of said tubular frame and communicating with said firstreciprocating support member, a first handle extending through saidfirst handle slot and connected to said first reciprocating supportmember, and a second handle extending through said second handle slotand communicating with said second reciprocating support member, a firstfoot pedal extending through said first foot pedal slot and connected tosaid second reciprocating support member and a second foot pedalextending through said second foot pedal slot and connected to saidfirst reciprocating support member, said handles and said foot pedalsbeing arranged such that said first handle and said second foot pedalmove with said first reciprocating support member and said second handleand said first foot pedal move with said second reciprocating supportmember in use.

4. An exercise device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connectingmeans comprises 'a sprocket rotatably carried by said frame adjacent theupper end thereof, a chain adapted to extend over said sprocket, one endof said chain being secured to one of said support members and the otherend of said chain being secured to the other of said support members.

5. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1, including means adaptedto vary the load required to cause movement of said reciprocatingsupport members.

6. An exercising device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tubular framemember is substantially rectangular in section.

7. An exercising device as claimed in claim 1, including a base memberadapted to support said frame member in a vertical plane.

8. An exercise device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said connectingmeans comprises a sprocket rotatably carried by said frame adjacent theupper end thereof, a chain adapted to extend over said sprocket, one endof said chain being secured to one of said support members and the otherend of said chain being secured to the other of said support members.

9. An exercise device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said connectingmeans comprises a sprocket rotatably carried by said frame adjacent theupper end thereof, a chain adapted to extend over said sprocket, one endof said chain being secured to one of said support members and the otherend of said chain being secured to the other of said support members.

10. An exercising device as claimed in claim 2 including means adaptedto vary the load required to cause movement of said reciprocatingsupport members.

11. An exercising device as claimed in claim 3 including means adaptedto vary the load required to cause movement of said reciprocatingsupport members.

12. An exercising device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said tubularframe member is substantially rectangular in section.

13. An exercising device as claimed in claim 2 including a base memberadapted to support said frame member in a vertical plane.

14. An exercising device as claimed in claim 3 including a base memberadapted to support said frame memher in a vertical plane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,478 2/ 1907 Muller 2721,854,473 4/ 1932 Laborda 27257 2,772,881 12/ 1956 Fundorn 27279 FOREIGNPATENTS 334,984 1/ 1904 France.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. AN EXERCISING DEVICE COMPRISING, A VERTICALLY EXTENDING FRAME MEMBER,AT LEAST TWO RECIPROCATING SUPPORT MEMBERS SLIDABLY CARRIED BY SAIDFRAME MEMBER, CONNECTING MEANS ADAPTED TO EXTEND BETWEEN AND CONNECTSAID TWO RECIPROCATING SUPPORT MEMBERS SUCH THAT MOVEMENT OF ONE OF SAIDSUPPORT MEMBERS RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME MEMBER CAUSES MOVEMENT OF THEOTHER OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, A HANDLE AND A FOOT PEDAL CARRIED BY